Tire performance is an important concern. In fact, manufacturers and tire developers, as well as others in the industry, find that the methods for testing (1) tire characteristics; (2) performance of tire-vehicle systems, and (3) performance of components of tire-vehicle systems are of substantial interest.
It is currently very common for a vehicle to comprise an anti-lock braking system (ABS). It is of interest to determine the “efficiency” (as defined herebelow) of an ABS/vehicle system for different tire properties (i.e., different mu-slip curve shapes) for potentially improving the match between tire and vehicle for improved stopping performance including, but not necessarily limited to, dry stopping performance. Put another way, if the tire mu-slip curve shape may be altered, it is of interest in determining what, if any, changes could be made to improve tire performance characteristics.
In considering a mu-slip curve and those properties that determine the form of the mu-slip curve, the curve may be considered to possess shape and size characteristics. Persons involved in the art may wish to evaluate the way in which “shape” may influence the ability of the ABS to operate efficiently at or near peak. “Peak mu” has a large effect on dry stopping distance (DSD) and other kinds of stopping distance, where it is often found that the higher peak mu, the better the stopping distance. Individuals of ordinary skill in the art may evaluate the influence of the curve shape characteristics, as described herebelow, on DSD and other types of stopping distance. Thus, it remains desirable to provide methods of testing performance of components of tire-vehicle systems.